Cactaceae

Cylindropuntia tunicata

Common Names: Hudson pear

Plant Form: Densely branched succulent shrub. Size: Up to 1.5 m tall and 3 m wide. Stem: Greyish-green, cylindrical, with extremely sharp spines up to 4 cm long. Flowers: Pink or purplish, up to 5 cm across. Fruit and Seeds: Oval shaped, up to 5 cm long, turning yellow when ripe. Habitat: Rangelands, open woodlands, arid areas. Distinguishing Features: Hudson pear (Cylindropuntia pallida) has larger pink to purple flowers. Jumping cholla (Cylindropuntia prolifera) is larger and has shorter spines. Rope pear (Cylindropuntia imbricata) is much larger and has larger flowers.